A Thief in the Night
by ElvenPirateWench07
Summary: R just to be safe. I write horrible summaries, just check it out
1. Default Chapter

_A/N: OK Guys, my very first fan fiction. please be nice to the beginning author and don't write nasty flames. If you have a problem with my style of writing, don't read my story savvy?_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing! Please don't sue, I really don't intend any harm to anyone, I swear! When I am done with this fic, I will turn the characters back over to the mouse in about the same condition as I got them :P_

**Prologue**

The City of Tortuga was very quiet during the day. Almost too quiet for Allison's taste. It was much easier for her to get her work done while the men of the town drunk themselves silly. She sat in the room that she shared with the other barmaids in the Three Legged Pony, and contemplated the upcoming night.

_'one more night and I should have enough to make it to Port Royal.' _She thought to herself. She looked over at Catherine, one of the other girls, who was asleep on her cot. '_I'm almost sorry to be leaving this place'_ Allison jumped as a gunshot rang out in a tavern across the street. _'Almost.'_

_Hmmm... Short chapter. The next ones will be longer than this. I just needed to set the mood, and junk like that. If you read this, please review! I would really appreciate it!!!_


	2. Chapter 1 Unsuspecting Prey

**Chapter 2 folks, hope you like it. If you readers even exist. How do I know you even exist if you don't review. hint hint**

**CHAPTER 2 - Unsuspecting Prey**

Allison stepped over the drunk passed out on the floor on her way to the bar. '_at least he's comfortable._' She glanced back at him, sprawled there on the floor, dreaming peacefully. '_What a horrible existence. To steal from others, just so that you can come here and drink yourself to sleep._' She picked up the mugs for the table in the back. Four men had just arrived and had seated themselves at the worst possible table. It was not visible from the bar, and you had to walk through the entire tavern to get there. Which made serving it quickly and efficiently almost impossible. These factors also made this table perfect for planning and conspiring. She walked up to the table and set the glasses down, while sizing up the occupants. Two men of large girth, too dangerous for her line of work. One medium sized man with dark brown hair and eyes, too sober for her, and the last man was smaller than the others.

This one caught her eye. He was smaller in build than the others, but still well muscled. He had a long hair which was sectioned off into dreadlocks and braids. Beads and coins were strewn throughout his long locks. Holding his hair out of his face was a battered red bandana which most certainly had seen better days. On top of all this was a tatty tricorner hat. It was his eyes that drew Allison in though. Dark brown, almost black, and rimmed with kohl. Deep penetrating eyes that looked into your soul. She shuddered and turned away.

Allison headed back for the bar. Once again stepping over the drunken man. '_at least I steal for a reason._' She looked back at the far table again. '_The smaller man would make a nice catch. I bet he's from the ship that pulled into port today._' She studied the man out of the corner of her eye.

"Allison!" The shout made Allison jump. It was Tirk, the owner of The Three Legged Pony.

"Go clean up the corner tables."

Allison headed over to the corner tables. These were near the back table and she had a pretty good view of her unsuspecting prey. '_Yes, I think he'll do nicely._'

"Hey Jack, that woman over there is giving you the eye." The brown haired man spoke to the smaller man.

"Aye Will, I saw her." Was the Jack's reply. Jack looked again at the barmaid out of the corner of his eye, and realized that she had stopped looking and was diligently scrubbing the table in front of her. Jack frowned. He had been hoping that she was more than just curious.


	3. Chapter 2 A Working Girl

**Woo!!! We have an update. Sorry for taking so long to update. My teachers are having a contest to see who can give out more homework. Hope you like it!**

"and then they made me their chief." Jack had just finished retelling one of his favorite adventures. He waved to the barmaid to bring him another mug. Just as she set it down, a man stumbled past. He knocked into the girl, and she stumbled forward and brushed against his arm. He didn't even notice, and went on with his drinking.

Allison saw the perfect opportunity open before her eyes. She rushed to get over to the back table, and got there just as the man walked by. When he bumped into her, she quickly pulled her small knife from her bodice and slashed the dark haired man's purse stings. Quick as a flash, both the knife and his purse were stashed safely under her bodice with none the wiser.

Allison hurried away from the table. She walked as fast as she could without looking suspicious. _I hope There's enough here._ She though and put a hand to her stomach. She tried to go about the rest of the nights work normally. But she could not contain her excitement at the prospect of finally being able to leave this town. She was also incredibly jumpy. She was afraid that the man would discover his purse missing and try and get it back. She risked a glance at the back table to find the dark haired man passed out on the table. _Hopefully I'll be long gone before he wakes up._

**Sorry its so short. I just wanted to get it up here. My creativity comes in short bursts.**


	4. Chapter 3 My Pants Feel Lighter

**Call me butter, cause I'm on a roll with this story! This chapter is a little longer than usual. Which will hopefully make up for it being weeks past due. I have two Reviews! I am more excited about this than is healthy I'm sure, but it makes me feel better that people have read my story.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.... except Allison, but she has a mind of her own....**

She finished with the night's work and headed back to her room. She took a pillow case off the bed and started to put her few belongings into it. _There was a time when it would have taken me hours to pack all of my possessions. That was years ago. Before the storm. _She unconsciously raised her hand to rest upon the locket that rested around her neck. It had been given to her by her mother before she died. _Before the storm._ She looked sadly at her few personal items. Several plain dresses, mostly gray or brown with one exception. There was a deep green dress slightly more fancy than the others. _The one nice piece of clothing I own. _She bitterly threw it into the bag.

She jumped in surprise and put the bag behind her on the floor as the door opened.

"Good evening Allison." Catherine called cheerfully to her. "I made a lot in tips tonight. I've almost saved enough to pay Tirk off. Then I can leave this madhouse." Catherine rambled on. Allison was lost in her own thoughts. _He sure has a good scheme set up. Rescuing girls with no family and no money, giving them a place to live and a job. Then charging them rent, and not paying enough a month to quite cover the rent plus other expenses. He pretty much ensured that he would always have people to work in his tavern. Girls had to work for years to pay him off, as Catherine had, scrimping and saving. Unless they found a way to augment their income...._

"Allison, are you all right? You look ill or something." When Allison did not respond she put her hand on Allison's shoulder. Allison gasped and took a step back, stepping on her back in the process, and falling right on her bottom. Catherine put her hand on her mouth to try to stifle the giggles that were threatening to overwhelm her.

"Are you all right?" She managed to gasp out.

"I'm fine thank you." Allison replied icily from the floor. She hadn't bothered trying to get up.

"What did you trip on?" Catherine asked Allison as she helped her get back on her feet.

"Nothing." Allison replied hastily and tried unsuccessfully to push her bag under her bed without the other woman noticing. Catherine swooped down and snatched the bag, which was halfway under the bed.

"Let's see what we have here." She opened the bag and her eyes widened. "You aren't leaving are you?" She looked carefully at Allison. "You are at least two months from paying off your debts." Allison cursed Catherine and her nosy ways. She had made it her personal mission to know how far along everyone was, and took pride in being the closest to reaching her goal.

"I've gotten some pretty big tips the past couple nights, and I just haven't recorded them." Allison would not meet Catherine's eyes. She didn't like lying to people. Especially someone like Catherine who had been there for her since she got there. Catherine however did not seem to notice that she had been lied to and took the answer in stride.

"Good for you!" Catherine exclaimed suddenly and launched herself at Allison, pulling her into a gigantic bear hug. Allison stood still for a moment stunned by the sudden motion, then returned the hug.

"Are you leaving tonight?" Catherine asked with a hint of sadness in her eyes. Allison sighed. She had been intending to pay Tirk, and sneak out in the night to charter her passage to Port Royal. There was always a ship waiting to carry people out of Tortuga. Ships left at all hours of the day.

"Of course not, I would never leave without saying goodbye." _Another lie. _She thought. They were coming more easily, and more frequently to her.

Jack moaned and grabbed his head, wincing at the pain that lashed through him at the movement. _Too much rum. _He sighed and very slowly raised his head from the table, noticing that his companions were still at the table, also passed out. All save one.

"Good morning Jack." Jack grunted in reply. Will looked at Jack and said, "You look terrible. Too much rum?" Jack remembered his earlier thought and smiled. It always seemed like too much rum in the morning.

"No such thing." He lightly replied. Letting the absence of his title slip. _Just this once. _"We should probably get these blokes onto the ship so we can sail out today." He continued. He stood up and stretched, the long painful stretch of someone who has spent all night in a chair with their head on the table. As he was stretching he noticed that something didn't fell right. _My pants feel too light. _He shook his head. What an odd thought. He put his hands on his waist though, just to check, and noticed that something was indeed missing. He looked down at the ground and around the table. Will looked up from trying to rouse the rest of the crew and noticed Jack's frantic searching.

"What are you looking for?" He asked amusement showing plainly in his voice.

"My coin pouch is missing." Will looked closely at Jack's face. His eyebrows were knit together, and he was deep in thought. Will was concerned. Jack only spoke proper English when he was very upset or angry. He was obviously trying to remember the events of last night.

"Will, do you remember that bar maid that served us last night?" Jack broke Will out of his reverie with the question.

"The one that was staring at you?"

"Yah. That one...." Again Will looked suspiciously at Jack.

"Why?" He asked confusion all over his face.

"She bumped into me last night, and I could have sworn I felt a tug on my sash, but I didn't think nothin' of it at the time. She musta cut the strings." He cursed loudly. "C'mon Will. We've gotta find that woman before she gets too far."


End file.
